LANSING –
Former candidate for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the head of a
political advocacy group will launch an effort to require greater transparency
in elections spending.

The Corporate
Accountability Amendment ballot initiative, targeted for the Nov. 6, 2012
ballot, would require corporations to disclose more information about their
political spending and lobbying.

Benson will
serve as the campaign's co-chair. Joining her at the ballot initiative's launch
will be Melanie McElroy, the executive director of Common Cause Michigan, a
non-profit advocating for open, honest and accountable government.

Organizers
said in a media release that ballot initiative, if passed, "would fundamentally change the way spending
is disclosed and monitored for all political campaigns in Michigan."

The amendment would require corporations to instantly disclose what
political communications they're funding, report their lobbying activities,
mandate disclosure of funding sources for political campaigns, and include
stiff financial penalties for organizations that willfully break the law.

Unlimited
spending by corporations, uncapped by the Citizens United decision, gave rise
to so-called Super Political Action Committees (PACs), where corporations can
donate millions of dollars to an organization to spend in influencing an
election.

In Michigan's
recent Republican presidential primary election, Super PACs spent over $2.7
million in a single week.

The ballot
drive launches March 9 at the state Capitol.

Organizers
have 180 days from the official start to collect the 322,609 signatures
required to get the issue on the ballot.